5 Nutrition Habits That Changed My Body Composition

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve probably seen my body change a lot over the years. I’ve gone through just about every phase you can think of — the rigid tracking-every-macro phase, the “program hopping, the I because maybe this new one will finally be the one” phase, and definitely the “if I’m not drenched in sweat, it didn’t count” phase.

And then, there was the opposite — the “I’m just going to eat whatever I want and not think about it” phase. I told myself I didn’t care, but the truth is, I felt disconnected from my body. That approach left me feeling sluggish, uncomfortable, and not like myself.

I’m not a coach who usually shares “before-and-afters”, because so often, there’s a story behind those photos that you don’t see. Looking visibly more “fit” or less “fit” doesn’t always reflect what’s really going on — physically or mentally.

When I was at my leanest, I was struggling the most. I was desperate for escape and used extreme amounts of exercise to cope. And when I was at my “least fit,” I was deeply unhappy and pretending I didn’t care.

Each version of me was trying in her own way — either trying too hard or not trying at all. And while I learned something from every stage, the real progress — the sustainable kind that feels good — didn’t happen until I stopped making things so complicated.

What I love most about my body composition change now is that it reflects something so much bigger — I feel stronger, more balanced, and more capable than ever before.

That shift didn’t come from another diet or a new program. It came from small, consistent habits that helped me build a healthier relationship with food and with myself.

These are the five nutrition habits that completely changed my body composition — no tracking apps and no restriction

P.S. read to the end for a bonus 6th habit!

Having Protein with Every Meal (especially breakfast)

Once I started thinking of building my meals around a source of protein everything shifted, especially at the beginning of my day. I noticed that if I skipped protein at breakfast, I found myself struggling to catch up during the rest of my day.

That 25–30 grams of protein in the morning set the tone for the rest of the day. It made me more likely to have a protein rich lunch, and dinner.

So how do I make sure I have protein easily available for my meals? When I go grocery shopping I shop for a variety of items from ready-to-go options like yogurts when I’m in a time crunch and ingredients that require a little prep (think proteins like tofu, lentils, eggs, fish etc.). I make sure that I have proteins prepped at the beginning of the week that I can mix and match into meals throughout the week.

I built real meals instead of grazing all day

There was a time when I thought “snacking all day” wasn’t catching up to me — as long as it was almonds or protein bars, right? And then there’s also the “mindless snacking.” When I wasn’t paying attention to how often I was reaching into the cabinet for a random handful of granola, trail mix, or chips.

What happened is I never actually felt satisfied. I’d graze from morning to night and somehow still feel like I hadn’t eaten enough food, but I was actually was adding a significant amount of extra calories that I wasn’t paying attention to.

Now, I build actual meals — with protein, carbs, fat, and color on every plate. I sit down to eat, even if it’s quick.

Because I now have awareness around the meals I’m eating, I feel satisfied and full after my meals. This change helped my digestion, my energy, and my relationship with food.

I fueled my workouts instead of under-eating

When I first started my fitness journey, I believed less food = better results. I’d lift, run, box — sometimes all in the same day — but I wouldn’t eat an adequate amount of calories to account for all this activity.

And sure, I’d see temporary results… until the fatigue hit, my lifts stalled, my sleep worensed, and my runs felt harder than they should.

Now I know that performance requires fuel. And fuel is food. I always eat before I train, I recover after, and I never skip carbs.
It’s wild how much stronger, faster, and leaner my body became once I actually started fueling it.

I made fiber a daily priority

This one doesn’t sound exciting, but it made a huge difference.

When I wasn’t eating enough fiber, I felt unsatisfied and constantly hungry. I’d think I needed more snacks, but really I just needed to eat more veggies, fruits, and whole grains.

Now I build in fiber-rich foods like apples, berries, lentil pasta, and roasted vegetables. For convenience, I will also enjoy a prebiotic drink like Olipop for a treat and boost of fiber, one serving has about 9g of fiber.

It’s not glamorous, but it’s effective. Energy, digestion, and even recovery all improved just from this one shift.

I focused on consistency — not perfection

This one took the longest to learn.

There was a past version of me who was all-or-nothing — tracking every gram, restricting carbs, stressing over restaurant meals, and feeling like one “off” day ruined everything.

Now, I don’t aim for perfect. I aim for consistent.

That means showing up most days, eating balanced meals, and letting go of the pressure to nail it 100%. It also means taking recovery seriously — sleeping enough, managing stress, and staying consistent with the supplements that actually help (like creatine and magnesium).

It’s not flashy, but it’s sustainable — and that’s what builds lasting change.

Bonus habit: getting enough daily steps

This one is such a simple habit that it often gets overlooked. Moving your body daily is more than just your 30-60 minute workout. Increasing your daily step count has a tremendous impact on both your physical and mental health. I personally aim for 10k steps (often I get more) every day.

If you’re someone that struggles with their step count, start by aiming for 7k steps most days. You can do this by taking a 30 minute walk before or after work. Choosing a parking spot that is a little farther away, taking 5 minute walk breaks during your work day.

A little bit of movement adds up more than you think.

The biggest lesson

When I stopped trying to do everything and started doing the right things consistently, my body finally responded.
I got stronger, leaner, and more confident — not because I was perfect, but because I stopped giving up every time things weren’t.

Ready to finish 2025 strong?

If you’re ready to stay consistent through the holidays (without restriction or guilt), join me for the Holiday Hustle — a 4-week program designed to help you stay active, consistent, and balanced through the busiest time of year.

From November 24 through December 27, you’ll get:
✅ 3 strength workouts per week in my app
✅ A 30 day habit and mindset calendar to keep you accountable
✅ Nutrition guidance that fits your real life (no tracking required)
✅ Weekly wellness challenges and focuses.

You don’t have to put your goals on pause for the holidays — you just need a plan that fits your life.

Let’s finish 2025 strong — not burned out, not “starting over,” but proud of the consistency we built when it mattered most.